Indian acquitted in Burj Khalifa bombing hoax

Dubai: A bombing hoax threatening to blow up the world`s tallest tower Burj Khalifa in February was actually a ploy by an Indian man to have another of his compatriot land in jail.

The Indian man identified only as JF, who reportedly threatened to blow up the tower unless he was paid a million dollars, has been acquitted by the Dubai Criminal Court.

The businessman had used another man`s mobile phone to send a text message to a police officer about the threat, with an intention to get the other man, identified as Chaudary, arrested and jailed, local reports said.

The 38-year-old was caught when he boasted to a hotel nightclub barman about what he had done, which the barman reported to the victim.

"I received the text message at about 4 pm (on February 5, 2011), in very bad English, stating that someone intended to blow up the tower if he was not paid USD 1 million," the police officer who received it told prosecutors.

Following his intervention, the police arrested Chaudary.

The barman told prosecutors that both JF and Chaudary often visited the nightclub together but Chaudary suddenly stopped coming as he had been arrested.

Two weeks later, the barman saw Chaudary and JF at the nightclub together again.

"He was boasting to me that he was a big businessman and he can put anyone in jail, while pointing at Chaudary, who was standing away from us," the barman was quoted by the media as saying.

"He then told me that he sent a text message from Chaudary`s phone that landed him immediately in jail and he can put him back there again. I told Chaudary what was said by JF and he took action," said the barman.

JF, however, denied the charge of making a bomb threat. He has not been charged in connection with Chaudary`s arrest.